Dressing Table Mirror
ca. 1756-1758 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
The mirror and stand was intended for a lady's dressing table. It was probably the 'Lady's Toilet' offered at auction in 1758. The concave recess at the top of the mirror was probably for a watch movement; at the side and the front are two apertures, possibly for a clockwork movement or musical box.
Trading
Two of these complex mirror stands are known, and both can be identified with descriptions of important lots included in London auctions of Chelsea porcelain. This one was probably the 'Lady's Toilet' of 1758; the other was probably the 'Lady's Toilet with a Looking Glass and Gold Instruments' mentioned in a newspaper notice of 1763. The Chelsea factory aimed at the top end of the market. It sold its wares from the factory premises, from factory-run warehouses in the West End of London, through London ceramics dealers, and at auctions held in London, Dublin and probably elsewhere.
Design & Designing
The mirror was probably designed under the direction of Nicholas Sprimont (1716-1771), the manager of the Chelsea porcelain factory and a skilful draughtsman and designer. Writing before 1752, a Swiss painter noted that Sprimont 'supplies or directs the models of everything made at the factory'.
The mirror and stand was intended for a lady's dressing table. It was probably the 'Lady's Toilet' offered at auction in 1758. The concave recess at the top of the mirror was probably for a watch movement; at the side and the front are two apertures, possibly for a clockwork movement or musical box.
Trading
Two of these complex mirror stands are known, and both can be identified with descriptions of important lots included in London auctions of Chelsea porcelain. This one was probably the 'Lady's Toilet' of 1758; the other was probably the 'Lady's Toilet with a Looking Glass and Gold Instruments' mentioned in a newspaper notice of 1763. The Chelsea factory aimed at the top end of the market. It sold its wares from the factory premises, from factory-run warehouses in the West End of London, through London ceramics dealers, and at auctions held in London, Dublin and probably elsewhere.
Design & Designing
The mirror was probably designed under the direction of Nicholas Sprimont (1716-1771), the manager of the Chelsea porcelain factory and a skilful draughtsman and designer. Writing before 1752, a Swiss painter noted that Sprimont 'supplies or directs the models of everything made at the factory'.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 6 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Soft-paste porcelain painted with enamels, moulded, engraved and with gilt-metal mounts and brass plaque |
| Brief description | Mirror and stand of soft-paste porcelain painted with enamels, with gilt-metal mounts and four drawers of brass, Chelsea Porcelain factory, Chelsea, ca. 1756-1758 |
| Physical description | Mirror and stand of soft-paste porcelain painted with enamels and with gilt-metal mounts, moulded and with a brass plaque. With four drawers of brass with brass handles in the lower part. At the back is a brass door engraved with a dotted pattern of flowering stems. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | British Galleries:
During the late 1750s and 1760s, the Chelsea factory imitated the luxury wares made at Sévres, the royal French porcelain factory. Most of the key personnel at Chelsea were from the Continent. Nicholas Sprimont, the manager, who directed the factory's design and modelling, was from a French-speaking part of Flanders (now Belgium).(27/03/2003) |
| Credit line | Bequeathed by Herbert Allen |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Object Type The mirror and stand was intended for a lady's dressing table. It was probably the 'Lady's Toilet' offered at auction in 1758. The concave recess at the top of the mirror was probably for a watch movement; at the side and the front are two apertures, possibly for a clockwork movement or musical box. Trading Two of these complex mirror stands are known, and both can be identified with descriptions of important lots included in London auctions of Chelsea porcelain. This one was probably the 'Lady's Toilet' of 1758; the other was probably the 'Lady's Toilet with a Looking Glass and Gold Instruments' mentioned in a newspaper notice of 1763. The Chelsea factory aimed at the top end of the market. It sold its wares from the factory premises, from factory-run warehouses in the West End of London, through London ceramics dealers, and at auctions held in London, Dublin and probably elsewhere. Design & Designing The mirror was probably designed under the direction of Nicholas Sprimont (1716-1771), the manager of the Chelsea porcelain factory and a skilful draughtsman and designer. Writing before 1752, a Swiss painter noted that Sprimont 'supplies or directs the models of everything made at the factory'. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.214 to E-1935 |
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| Record created | March 27, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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